School fires teacher accused of sex abuse

Washington: Police in Maryland's Montgomery and Queen Anne's counties have charged a middle school teacher at the Sidwell Friends School in Washington with several counts of sexual abuse related to alleged contact with a minor, according to charging documents.

On Wednesday, the private school announced it had fired social studies teacher Robert A. ‘Pete' Peterson, 65. He taught seventh and eighth grades and was director of the school's Camp Corsica. He was placed on leave shortly before the beginning of the 2009-10 school year.

Obama daughters

He has not been permitted on campus or at school-sponsored events since then, school officials said. He was dismissed January 14. President Obama's daughters, Malia and Sasha, attend Sidwell. Sasha is 8 and is in third grade. Malia is 11 and is in sixth grade.

According to Montgomery County charging documents dated January 14, Peterson befriended a male Sidwell student and repeatedly invited him to his home. Peterson showed the student pornography and touched him inappropriately, the charging documents say. There are no allegations of sexual intercourse.

He is charged with sex abuse of a minor and two counts of a fourth-degree sex offence, the documents say. He was released on a $250,000 (Dh918,224) bond.

A phone message left at Peterson's home Wednesday evening was not returned. His attorney, Barry Helfand, said: "I think everyone has to remember that these are only allegations."